Free Luna Protectorate
Pre-amble There have actually been two distinct entities known as the Free Luna Protectorate on OS. The first of these was created on Luna during the Solar Consortium's war against the Kretonian occupation. When the Consortium government on Earth chose to resume mass-production of Specialists in 2806 as part of its campaign against the Kretonians, Luna seceded from the Consortium and the Lunites established the Free Luna Protectorate. This government existed in a state of perpetual Cold War (and occasional "hot" war) with the Solar Consortium for nearly 200 years. It essentially vanished when Luna was replaced by Alt-Luna as a result of the Moebius Effect. The alt-Luna had never been free of Consortium control, but after the Moebius Effect Crisis, the alt-Lunite population rebelled against the government of King Colin Neidermeyer and declared its independence, establishing a new Free Luna Protectorate. Whether the name was inspired or influenced by knowledge of the original Luna timeline is unclear. Original FLP: Founding and History Much of the History of the original Free Luna Protectorate is outlined on the Luna page. It was established in response to the Consortium's efforts to mass-produce Specialists to fight the Kretonians, an action which violated GELT. By this time, most of the Lunite population had been living underground in specially pressurized caverns after the Kretonians shattered the original Lunar City dome. After the Kretonians' defeat, efforts by the Solar Consortium to regain control of Luna led to centuries of tension. The Lunites, to protect themselves from possible orbital bombardment by the Guardian Fleet, remained living underground, with the only access to the main Lunite settlement a specially designed landing pad hidden in a crater on the Lunar surface. The independence of the FLP was maintained in part by the Lunites' ability to deploy special Gunstar sattelites that provided cover against a Guardian Fleet attack. The Lunite Militia also formed the basis for the defense of the FLP, and regularly received ships and equipment through a special arrangement between the FLP government and the Boromov Crime Syndicate on Ungstir. The FLP was governed by an elected President and a Senate. For nearly two hundred years, the FLP survived this way, often facing blockades or other hostile actions from the Guardian Fleet. Expansion The FLP gained new allies after the return of Sanctuary to normalspace in the year 3000. This occurred during the reign of President Winston, who actively sought new ways of expanding Luna's influence outside the shadow of the Consortium. It was during Winston's reign that a Lunite expedition found the planet that was later dubbed New Luna, and Winston ordered a colony be constructed there. Winston's successor, Jeffrey Kalson, oversaw the greatest expansion of the FLP. After the rebellion of Mars, tensions between the Earth-based Consortium and the FLP eased somewhat as the Earth government became distracted. After Earth was destroyed by plasma bombs, the FLP no longer had much to fear from its neighbor, and Kalson ordered the construction of new domed cities on the surface of Luna, for the first time since the attack of the Kretonians 350 years earlier. After Kalson's descent into madness and megalomania, the government of the FLP and the Lunite Militia were thrown into disarray. Disappearance During the Moebius Effect Crisis, the original Free Luna Protectorate ceased to exist. When the Moebius Wave hit Luna, it was replaced with a Luna from an alternate universe, one in which the Lunite rebellion against the Consortium had been crushed. This alternate Luna was under the control of the government of President (and later King) Colin Neidermeyer of Earth. However, there was sufficient warning of the approach of the wave that much of the original Lunite population was able to escape Luna and head to safe locations outside the wave's range. Meanwhile, the population of the Moebius-Luna rebelled against the Neidermeyer government after a few months in this universe. Moebius-Luna FLP: Founding Founded by one of the more prominent rebel factions of Neidermeyer's Landing in early to mid 3003, the bid to get the FLP up and running was pitted against Lunite anxiety and threats by Colin Neidermeyer. It was during this time Neidermeyer released the Thul Resequencing Virus on Luna. Originally to be headed by Cliff Trumble as Chairman of the Senate with Jeff Ryan as Deputy Chairman, Ryan was forced to stand down from running from this position during the run-up to the elections due to a scandal on Ungstir. At the same time, a group known as The Janitors (named after the unglamorous jobs members of the Resistance used as cover) lead by Ren Arnassis, an ex-guerrilla, rose as a militia with the ostensible goal of maintaining some semblance of order in Luna's cities. As the Senate emerged as a civilian political power, the Janitors elected to become the core of its military power. The Janitors served as the foundation for the LCAF, which Arnassis commanded during its brief lifetime. The Early Days The early days saw the crisis of dealing with the TRV and trying to gain popular approval for the government, Clifford Trumble did succeed in having the FLP accepted into OATO and together with some allies, Ryan managed to put together a team to find the cure for the TRV. In June 3003 the capital moved to the larger Phoenix City which had better capabilities for running the new Senate. More Problems It quickly became apparent that the FLP was only one of three factions on Luna, the other two being the Fallen and Loyalist Eagles of Zion, the latter being the remnent of the Guardian Fleet being the main danger. The crash-landing of the Anubis saw the FLP factionalised within itself during the crisis of dealing with that vessel with the Ministry of Intelligence, founded by Ryan and run by Director Skylar Forsetti becoming a major player. Several Senators resigned from the FLP at this time, including Ryan weakening it's credibility. Reflux The problems for the FLP were (perhaps as we have no firm information after the date of the reflux wave) solved when the Moebius Wave struck again and sent it back to it's original universe, the Loyalist Eagles of Zion evacuated their forces (thus removing the FLP's main threat)and stayed behind to take control of the original Mars and Luna when they came back with the reflux wave. It is probable that the Free Luna Protectorate now has control of Luna in their home universe. Aftermath While it is assumed that the alternate FLP returned to its original universe, the political situation on Luna remained very confused in the wake of the Moebius Effect reversal. While most of the pre-Moebius population returned to Luna, some of the Lunites from the alternate Luna also remained behind, having been out of range of the reflux wave. The original Free Luna Protectorate was never really firmly re-established before a series of new crises led to the absorption of Luna into the Solar Republic. category:Encyclopedia Intergalactica